1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink cartridge.
2. Related Art
Generally, an inkjet printing machine employing an inkjet method uses multiple ink cartridges respectively storing inks of colors such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K).
The inkjet printing machine can perform color printing of images and characters on a paper sheet by supplying the inks from the ink cartridges of the respective colors to inkjet heads provided for the respective ink colors and by ejecting the inks to the paper sheet from the inkjet heads of the respective colors. The inkjet printing machine is thus widely used as a printing machine for home and business use. Moreover, the inkjet printing machine is configured to perform monochrome printing by using only the ink of one color of black (K).
In this case, each of the multiple ink cartridges storing the inks of the respective colors is detachably mounted on the inkjet printing machine. However, when the ink cartridge is detached from the inkjet printing machine, the ink may drip from an ink supply port of the ink cartridge because the ink still remains in the ink supply port.
In view of this, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 9-20015 proposes an ink cartridge which can prevent the ink from dripping from the ink supply port of the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is detached from the inkjet printing machine.
Although illustration herein is omitted, the ink cartridge disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 9-20015 includes a cartridge main body. The ink supply port is formed in the cartridge main body. Moreover, an absorbent made of urethane foam or the like and configured to absorb and hold the ink leaking from the ink supply port is provided in a recess portion formed around an outer side of the ink supply port of the cartridge main body.
Meanwhile, a head holder of an inkjet recording machine (inkjet printing machine) includes an ink introducing member provided in a protruding manner. The ink supply port of the ink cartridge is fitted to and detached from the ink introducing member.
With this configuration, the ink cartridge is mounted on the inkjet recording machine. Thereafter, when the ink supply port formed in the cartridge main body is detached from the ink introduction member provided in the head holder in the protruding manner, the ink leaking from the ink supply port is held in the absorbent. Hence, it is possible to prevent the ink from dripping during replacement of the ink cartridge and from attaching to the head holder and a surface of the cartridge main body other than the portion provided with the absorbent.